We have sometimes been accused of overbuying. In fact, we are often accused of overbuying, especially when it comes to ribbon. Every decorator is entranced with new designs, new color combinations, new textures, and as a result, over the past years we have been boxing and keeping more ribbon than was practical in our storage facility. This year a concerted effort was made to use what we had before buying more. At the end of this year’s project, we took a complete inventory and now know what we have and what we need to replenish next year. We will return next year with a streamlined collection of ribbon styles. The burgundy and gold ribbon below is perfectly echoed in the berries and “touch of gold” decorations.
The Slow Flowers Summit will return to the Pacific Northwest, location of our original 2017 Summit. We will be hosted by the Bellevue Botanical Gardenfor two days of presentations, education, and an unforgettable floral takeover throughout the gardens.
We can’t wait to welcome you to this important regional hub for local, seasonal and sustainably-grown blooms. The Summit invites you to gather and learn from artists, innovators, thought leaders and practitioners whose commitment to domestic flowers will reinforce your mission and values! For complete information on speakers and registration, visit https://www.slowflowerssummit.com/
The Garden Club of the Back Bay has wrapped up its 2022 winter fund raiser, the Holiday Wreath Sale. We returned to The First Lutheran Church of Boston for the first time since 2019, with reduced numbers in the space, masks, more organization with volunteer scheduling, and yet, for all that, the project was as fun filled as it always has been. On a personal note, I, as the person responsible in years past for writing up the Wreath of the Day stories, was sequestered in Los Angeles and was unable to be there in person. The stories which will come to you in the coming days, now through January 1, are mostly second hand, and I apologize for any lack of personality you may find in them. The fault is mine. The beauty of the wreaths speak for themselves. – Francine Crawford
Discover the wonders of the universe and marvel at Earth’s immense geological forces and the undersea world during this unique tour of the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Hawai’i.
This unique natural history tour of Hawai’i with Smithsonian Journeys focuses on the wonders of the universe, the Earth’s immense geological forces, and the amazing world under the sea. Discover the islands of Maui and Hawai’i through the lens of astronomers, geologists, and marine scientists, and through native Hawaiian culture and history.
Highlights Include
Maui: Ascend to the summit of Haleakala for a behind-the-scenes tour of one of the telescopes at the Haleakala Observatory site. Pan-STARRS utilizes very large digital cameras, telescopes, and computing facilities in its search for new asteroids, comets, and other celestial objects. Then enjoy spectacular vistas of Maui from Haleakala National Park. During a nature walk, marvel at the volcano’s moon-like crater and learn about endemic plants and native birds. Later, take a private tour of the Maui Ocean Center, where a marine biologist provides insight into this three-acre tropical reef aquarium and marine science center. And learn more about the night sky from an astronomer during a stargazing cruise aboard a catamaran in Ma’alaea Harbor.
Hawai’i: Trace the history of traditional Hawaiian celestial navigation during a curator-led tour of the Imiloa Astronomy Center and watch a planetarium show about the night skies. Stop in Hilo, a traditional Hawaiian town located on a picturesque bay on the windward side of the Big Island. Explore the farmers market, parks, shops, and visit one to the telescope headquarters located in Hilo to learn about the innovative research being done at the summit. (Should the Mauna Kea Observatory Complex be accessible, travelers will instead ascend to the summit and meet scientists at Smithsonian’s Submillimeter Array.) Gain insight from a resident geologist at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, home to Kilauea and Mauna Loa and the volcano goddess Pele. Observe the volcanic activity from Steaming Bluff and view exhibits at Kilauea Visitor Center. Descend along the Chain of Craters Road to view huge mounds of black lava flows. Take a walk in the North Kohala backcountry, known for its waterfalls and breathtaking views.
Accommodations: Enjoy stays at delightful hotels that feature spectacular views, luxurious pools, gardens, and beach, plus another stay near Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
Awaken your pioneering spirit by tracing the legends and natural splendors of the American West—an awe-inspiring expanse filled with beautiful scenery, abundant wildlife, hiking, storytelling, and incredible historic lodges you’ll write home about.
Experience the diverse wonders of our national parks accompanied by an Orbridge Expedition Leader. Overnight in landmark lodges that are national treasures themselves. Enjoy a Jeep safari tour at Custer State Park—a wildlife reserve with scenic lakes, dramatic granite spires, and lush grasslands where bison herds roam. Visit the world’s largest mammoth site, where scientists are excavating remains of Columbian and woolly mammoths from 26,000 years ago. Marvel at the grandeur of Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial. See the dramatic effects of Yellowstone’s volcanically active caldera and visit otherworldly geothermal sites, including Old Faithful Geyser. Explore Grand Teton National Park—host to flora and fauna that date back to prehistoric times. Included are 8 nights accommodations; 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 7 dinners, including special welcome and farewell meals; full guiding services of an Orbridge Expedition Leader; all activities as described in the 9-day itinerary; admission and park fees; private deluxe motor coach with air conditioning and comfortable seating; luggage porterage, where available; gratuities to Orbridge Expedition Leader, local guides, drivers, porters, and wait staff for included meals; and airport transfers for guests arriving and departing during the suggested times.
Join Arnold Arboretum Manager of Plant Production Tiffany Enzenbacher on Saturday, December 2, from 9 – 12:30 in the Dana Greenhouse Classroom, 1050 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, to learn how to propagate woody plants from fall cuttings. Students will collect and stick cuttings of several taxa (Ilex and Pieris to name a few), and will take their propagules home. After rooting, small plants may be ready to transplant as early as next year. Post-class nurturing will be required. Fee for all materials is included in the cost of the class. Students should bring their own pruners to class and dress for the weather. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.
John Judge left his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Trustees in October. The Board of Directors have appointed Nicie Panetta, Board of Directors Vice Chair, as the Interim President and CEO of The Trustees to oversee management of the organization during this transition. The Board of Directors are grateful to John for his contributions to The Trustees during a time of significant change and the organization is poised for continued success. John will continue to advocate for climate resiliency and urban access to nature and the outdoors.
Nicie Panetta has dedicated 15 years of service with The Trustees as a member of the Board where she recently served as Vice Chair. Throughout her tenure she has championed the stewardship of our cultural resources, climate resiliency work, and efforts to reach diverse new audiences with innovative programming.
The Gardens Trust’s second series exploring how gardens and flowers have influenced and inspired other arts and crafts turns to ceramics. This lustrous material was invented centuries ago in China and has long been regarded as rare, beautiful and highly sought after, and by the 18th Century the secret of making and firing this material had been discovered in Europe. Porcelain provided an ideal background for painted decoration, and botanical designs and landscapes provided a rich source of inspiration. Three of our talks provide a brief chronology of floral images and themes on porcelain from the symbolism of Chinese peonies to the botanical depictions of ‘Sir Hans Sloane’s plants’. We also look at the eighteenth century fashion for illustrating topographical views on ceramics, including the iconic Green Frog Service and the depiction of the circuit created at Hafod, as well as other picturesque views, all of which have provided objects of great beauty, usefulness and prestige, as well as being an invaluable tool for the modern researcher.
This ticket is for the entire course of 6 sessions. or you may purchase a ticket for individual session, costing £5 via the link HERE.Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the first talk (If you do not receive this link please contact us), and a link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 1 week.
In the later 18th century, nationalist ideologies encouraged the development of accurate representations of specific places with sublime views, both urban and natural. Edmund Burke, in A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful (1756), promoted the emotional impact of the Sublime, evoked by vast, irregular and awe-inspiring landscapes, as in the rugged Derbyshire peaks and expansive moors. This fascination culminated in the cult of the Picturesque and fashionable topographical views and tourist attractions soon appeared on porcelain, often named on the reverse. Beginning with Wedgwood in the 1770s, and continuing in the 1790s at Derby and Worcester, it became the height of fashion for English manufactories to decorate ceramics with British landscapes, often depicting country houses. Many of these images were copied from popular travel books. This talk will concentrate on ceramic examples in the collection of the National Trust from the 1760s through the 1820s.
Patricia Ferguson is a ceramic historian and curatorial consultant. Patricia has worked for the British Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum, and the National Trust for Scotland, and is a Hon. Adviser on Ceramics to the National Trust. Her publications include Pots, Prints and Politics: Ceramics with an Agenda (British Museum Research Publications, 2021), Garnitures: Vase Sets from National Trust Houses (V&A Publishing, 2016), Ceramics: 400 Years of British Collecting in 100 Masterpieces (National Trust Series, 2016) and numerous articles. Patricia is interested in the history of ceramic display and collecting in Britain, which includes the art of floral display.
Barr, Flight and Barr flower garniture at Blickling Estate, Norfolk. CMS 353347. Marked on base with a crown above ‘Barr Flight & Barr, Worcester, Flight & Barr, Coventry Street, London. Manufacturers to their Majesties and Royal Family’.
Incorporating your ideas, the Friends of the Public Garden and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department created a roadmap toward a more accessible, resilient, and inclusive space for the present and into the future.
Led by BLOOM Imprint’s editorial director (and Slow Flowers Society founder) Debra Prinzing, and creative director Robin Avni, the new digital magazine delivers news, features, profiles, columns, and essays — and beautiful photography — tailored to the Slow Flowers Community across all facets of the floral marketplace. The audience includes flower farmers and floral designers, but also the gardening consumer who the editors call “floral practitioners.” The potential to serve this market with fresh, new, floral content is larger than ever. A recent survey identified that 21 million Americans became first-time gardeners in 2020 — and they have continued digging in the soil ever since.
The publication is viewable as an online magazine flipbook. It is free to members of Slow Flowers Society. and there are free podcasts and book reviews and much more. https://www.slowflowers.com/
